What was she thinking?

In your Jan. 18 letters, Joanne Van Buren wrote in to chastise Brian Mattson for letting his dog out without "checking out" the area first. This choice sadly resulted in the death of his dog.

I would like to suggest to Ms. Van Buren that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones and ask her what she was thinking when she let her cat out on the porch with the same sad results. I'm quite sure she had previously "checked out" the neighborhood. She needs to realize that a leash would not have necessarily altered the outcome of the attack, as a neighbor of mine had her dog taken from the leash that was in her hands.

The loss of our companion animals to a coyote is an unexpected and unfortunate personal tragedy. We need to remain aware and respectful of our surroundings, including the coyotes, and take the necessary precautions for the safety of our animals.

Ms. Van Buren's solution is far simpler than Mr. Mattson's. There is no need for cats to be outside, especially unattended. I am happy to say that my own three geriatric companions are safe at home in an indoor environment created of their safety and well-being.

Hopefully, from these experiences some good will arise as neighbor to neighbor we can continue to educate the residents of our area to make wiser choices. That will lead to more positive outcomes for all of the living beings in our lives.
Sherry Ferber
Agoura Hills